Bill to End Death Penalty Under Texas’ Law of Parties to be Heard in Legislative Committee Thursday, March 19

Terri Hodge's Law of Parties bill that would end the death penalty under the Law of Parties will be heard in the Capital Punishment Subcommittee at the Texas Legislature next Thursday, March 19. Also they will hear one of the moratorium related bills that would give the governor the power to call a moratorium.

We need as many people as possible to show up for the subcommittee meeting and sign in in favor of HB 2267, the Law of Parties bill. While you are there, you can also sign in to support the other bills on that day's agenda, including the one to give the governor the power to call a moratorium and the one to create a commission to study the death penalty in Texas.

Criminal Jurisprudence

Capital Punishment

8:00 AM, Thursday, March 19, 2009

E2.016

Rep. Robert Miklos

Bills on Next Thursday's Agenda

HB 111

Pena

Relating to the joint or separate prosecution of a capital felony charged against two or more defendants.

HB 298

Dutton | et al.

Relating to the admissibility of certain evidence in capital cases in which the state seeks the death penalty.

HB 493

Zerwas

Relating to the eligibility for judge-ordered community supervision or for mandatory supervision of a defendant convicted of criminal solicitation of capital murder.

HB 877

Naishtat | et al.

Relating to the creation of a commission to study capital punishment in Texas.

HB 2058

Gallego

Relating to the standards for attorneys representing indigent defendants in capital cases.

HB 2267

Hodge

Relating to the joint or separate prosecution of a capital felony charged against two or more defendants and the extent of a defendant's criminal responsibility for the conduct of a coconspirator in capital felony cases.

HJR 24

Naishtat | et al.

Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to a moratorium on the execution of persons convicted of capital offenses.

I think it stands a good chance to pass in the House, so one step at a time. Perry could be persuaded to sign it. It contains a provision for having separate trials for co-defendants, which is the reason he gave in 2007 when he commuted the death sentence of Kenneth Foster. Even lots of people who support the death penalty think it should be reserved for the “worst of the worst” offenders and do not think it should be applied to people who do not kill anyone, as it was applied in the case of Kenneth Foster.

Texas Moratorium Network (TMN) is a non-profit organization with the primary goal of mobilizing statewide support for a moratorium on executions in Texas. Significant death penalty reform in Texas, including a moratorium on executions, is a viable goal if the public is educated on the death penalty system and is encouraged to contact their elected representatives to urge passage of moratorium legislation.

We hope that you will join us in this fight for fairness and social justice.Please join our email list and become one of the more than 20,000 people receiving information through our network.

Texas Moratorium Network has more than 20,000 people in its network. If you would like to join, just enter your name in the box above. Membership is free, but if you would like to make an even bigger difference, you can join our more than 2,000 strong donor base, just click the donate button below.

To make a one time online donation of any amount you choose, click the Donate button below. Your donation is greatly appreciated and helps us build support to stop executions.

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Texas Moratorium Network
3616 Far West Blvd
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Donations to Texas Moratorium Network are not tax deductible because TMN is organized as a 501(c)4.

Houston - To learn location or if a stay has been granted before you come out, call Burnham Terrell, 713/921-0948.

Lewisville - St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, 1897 W. Main Street. Peace & Justice Ministry conducts Vigils of Witness Against Capital Punishment at 6:00 pm on the day executions are scheduled in Texas.

McKinney - St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Community located at 110 St. Gabriel Way. We gather the last Sunday of the month, following the 11:00 Mass to pray for those men/women scheduled to be executed in the next month and to remember the victims, their families, and all lives touched, including us as a society.

San Antonio (Site 1) - Archdiocese of San Antonio, in the St. Joseph Chapel at the Chancery, 2718 W. Woodlawn Ave. (1 mile east of Bandera Rd.) at 11:30 a.m. on the day of execution. Broadcast on Catholic Television of San Antonio (Time-Warner cable channel 15) at 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the day of execution.

San Antonio (Site 2) - Main Plaza across from Bexar County Courthouse and San Fernando Cathedral - Noon

Spring - Prayer Vigil at 6 PM on evenings of executions at St Edward Catholic Community, 2601 Spring Stuebner Rd for the murder victim, for family and friends of the murder victim, the prison guards and correctional officers, for the family of the condemn man/woman, for the man/woman to be executed and to an end to the death penalty.